


Glass Veins

by winchester99



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Major Original Character(s), Multi, Original Character(s), Post-Battle of Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2016-11-12
Packaged: 2018-08-30 13:31:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8535088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winchester99/pseuds/winchester99
Summary: Young witch, Marina Higgleton is lonely, friendless and  overlooked. Hogwarts is her dream, she wants to learn, succeed and make her parents proud. But the arrival of some new friends de-rails her plans for the better. Follow Marina on her journey through Hogwarts and life, friendships and love.





	1. The Train Ride of Your Life

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Fan fiction set in the Wizarding world, not centered on Harry Potter or his years at Hogwarts. We follow a group of original characters through their time at Hogwarts. Much of this work is inspired from HP AUs and Harry Potter/ Hogwarts Headcanons I've seen on Tumblr etc.. Enjoy.

Marina Higgleton stood 5 foot 2, towering over the other kids rushing past her. She’d kissed her parents goodbye and her trunk had been loaded, all that was left was to find a seat. Her father said he’d met his best friend on the train, so Marina felt pressure to do the same.

As the train takes off, an empty seat catches Marinas eye, she pokes her head into the cabin and clears her throat.  
“Is that seat taken?” Her voice squeaks out, like a puppy yipping for its dinner.  
“Oh, its is I'm sorry, maybe try the next one over.” Marina thought the boy looked honest and encouraging. So she nodded a thanks and went on her way. The next three were all either full, or waiting for their friends, or so they'd told her  
A small pink covered girl suddenly jumps out into the isle, a horrendous screech leaving her lips. Marina yelps and falls back onto the age-old carpet.

“Oh I'm so sorry! I thought you were my sister, I was going to scare her for being late.” The girl reaches to grab Marinas hand, but stops just short.  
“Oh no.”  
Marina looks at her hand, bits of skin peeled back, with dots of blood blobbing to the surface.  
“Oh I'm really sorry!” The girl grabs Marinas wrist instead, pulling her up right again.  
“It’s okay, really.” Marina smiles politely, seeing the sincerity in the other girls face.  
“Come one! Lets get you fixed up then.” The girl takes ahold of Marinas sleeve, dragging her into the cabin she jumped from.

A boy sits in the corner, next to the window. His nose pressed so far into the book sitting in his lap, it was practically a bookmark.  
Marina sits opposite the brightly coloured girl as she fumbles around in an ancient looking backpack. “Ah!” She looks pleased as she pulls out a wand.  
“Knew it was there somewhere.” She beams and motions for Marinas hand.

“Lee.” The boy looks up from his book, brown curls falling over his concerned face.  
Lee shushes him.  
“Trust me, my sister she taught me this one.”  
Marina swallows her doubts and tries not to smile at the faces Lee was making while concentrating. Finally she clears her throat and points her wand at Marinas palm.

“Scabs and blood and cuts and muck, make this wound all taut and tuck!” She violently thrashes her wand around Marinas hand, squeezing her eyes shut as she does.  
“Huh?” She looks puzzled at the wound still gracing Marinas palm.

Laughter springs form the doorway. “You actually thought that was a real spell?” A girl older than Lee and Marina, stands in neat Hogwarts robes. Lee furrows her brows and sinks back in defeat. She mumbles a yeah under her breath and doesn't make eye-contact.  
The older girl, who Marina figures to be the missing sister shakes her head and sits gently next to Marina.

“What has she done to you?” She softly grabs Marinas hand and pulls out a small bag from her pocket.  
Before Marina could explain that it really wasn't Lee’s fault, the girl is rubbing a sweet smelling ointment into Marinas palm. “There, all better.” She smiles before looking to Lee. All she does is sigh and shake her head before getting up and heading back to the door. Marina glances at her palm, nothing not a scratch in sight. 

“I just came to tell you, I'm sitting with my friends. Get dressed soon.”  
Lee pokes out her tongue at the older girl, who does the same back.

“Well, now thats done with. Hi. I’m Leekha Srivas.” Leekha puts her hand out to Marina.

“I’m Marina Higgleton. It’s nice to meet you Leekha.” Marina smiles, hoping this would be the friendship she so desperately desired.

“You too Marina! You can call me Lee if you want, most people do. Except mum that is.” She beams ear to ear, looking as excited to make a friend as Marina was.  
“And thats Jaymee there. He’s second year, our parents are friends thats how I know him. And that was my sister before, Tanushri. It means beautiful, fitting right.” She snorts before grabbing her backpack again.  
“Know what mine means? Writing. Ha. Thanks mum. What does your name mean?”

Marinas mind stops for a minute, trying to process everything Lee had just said.

“Uhh.” Her brain finally working again. “In latin it means of the sea. In english, I guess, car park for boats.”

Lee bursts into laughter, rosiness dotting her brown cheeks. She even notices Jaymee chuckle from behind his book.  
“You’re really funny Mari. Can I call you that? Mari?”

“Sure.” Marina smiles.

“Want a lolly? I packed my whole stash from home.” Lee grins as she slides onto the floor.  
Marina nods excitedly and joins Lee on the deep red carpet.  
Lee turns her back pack upside down, emptying the contents between them.  
Marina had never seen so many sweets outside a candy shop before.  
“Woah.” Marina smiles at Lee’s joyous face.  
Lee tosses her wand, just realising it was still in her hand, backwards onto the seat.

“You should really be more careful with your wand, what if you break it before we even get to school?” Marina says as she picks through the sweets in front of her.  
“Yeah I know, mum says I'm a bit reckless. But its all apart of my charm.” She smiles slyly as she slips a green, ball shaped toffee in her mouth.  
She blinks quickly as her iris’s turn a bright neon green.

“Wow!” Marina leans forward with curiosity.  
“What? You’ve never had an Eye Popping Toffee Dud before?” Lee looks in disbelief at the girl across from her.  
Marina shakes her head, “Mum and Dad don't like many sweets in the house, and we have even fewer magical things. They’re both muggle born you see.”

“Ah. Okay.” Lee slowly nods her head, understanding Marinas surprise.  
“Here.” She says. “Just a jelly snake then .” She smiles and places the green snake in Marinas hand. The snake is quickly plopped in Marinas hungry mouth. Before Marina could have the first bite she felt it move. Her eyes widen as it goes wild slithering around her cheeks. She spits it out into her hands, looking up at a hysterical Lee. Marina joins the hysteria, with watering eyes, she looks back down at the slithering snake. It moves around her palms, weaving between her fingers.  
“Sorry, I couldn't help it.” Lee finally calms enough to speak again. Marina laughs in response, noticing Jaymee shaking his head at the two of them.  
Marina glances back down to her cupped hands, the snake now still and jelly.  
“Oh.” Marine mutters. “It’s dead.”

“It’s not dead, because it was never really alive.” Jaymee, closes his book and joins them on the floor. “Still….” Marina trails off.  
“Hey, Jaymee.” Lee changes the subject, seeing the odd look in Marinas eyes. “Try this one.”  
Jaymee un-wraps the sweet handed to him, plopping it on the tip of his tongue. The lolly shakes and begins shooting tiny fireworks from its centre. He quickly swallows it, the sparks fly from his nose and ears, but only for a moment.  
Marina smiles, placing the jelly snake in a wrapper of another lolly, and shoving it in her pocket. Death, even fake death apparently, hit Marina harder than most people. Always has.

“We should get dressed soon, we’ll be there before you know it.” Jaymee gets up and fishes out his robes from a bag in the over head, before leaving the cabin, and closing the door behind him.  
“Yeah he’s right.” Lee starts scooping at the pile, dropping armful after armful into her backpack.

“Crud. Where did my wand go?”

“Chair.” Marine chuckles as she drops the last handfuls of lollies into her bag.

“Oh yeah.” Lee grabs it, inspecting it closely. “Thirteen inches, Yew wood with a Unicorn hair core.” She smiles lovingly at it.  
“What about you?”

Marina reaches into her shoulder bag she’d left on the seat, pulling out her wand. She closes her eyes and purses her lips as she tries to remember exactly what it was the shopkeeper had said.  
“Willow wood with a Unicorn hair core, ten inches and a slightly springy flexibility.” She smiles, remembering word for word.  
“Cool.” Lee looks in awe at the wand in front of her. The handle, intricately carved with swirls and patterns, and coloured a rich brownish-red.  
“Well, better get changed, wouldn't want to be wearing these old things the first time I step into Hogwarts.” Lee slaps her thighs, of course meaning her bright pink, slightly torn jeans.

After changing and returning to the cabin with Jaymee the three are startled by big galumphing foot steps sprinting down the corridor. Lee looks out, only to nearly have her head torn off by the boy running full speed away from a small girl.

“God help you if I catch you peeping at us again you dirty pig!” The girl stops just short of Lee’s stunned face. The girl is dressed in her robes, holding her pointy had in one hand, and a bag of peanuts in the other.  
The three of them look at her, puzzled and curious. “He’s allergic to peanuts.” She holds up the bag of peanuts. “And I was still getting ready.” She holds up her hat.  
Lee beams and opens the door completely. “Wanna come in?”  
The girls smiles at the offer. “Sure.”  
She steps in and sits down next to Marina. “Hi, i’m Avery. Avery Cornell.” She smiles and shakes Marinas hand, her dimples mix with her rosy red cheeks and it reminds Marina of a doll, porcelain and perfect. 

“Was that boy trying to watch you change?” Lee asks, as she shakes Avery’s hand, unable to hold it back any longer.  
“Not me, another girl. I told him i’d shove his wand somewhere he wouldn't find all that comfortable, if he didn’t apologise. When he didn’t, I remembered his allergy. I’d been observing people and he flinched when someone threw a nut to the big besides him. I’m good at that you know, watching and learning.” She winks then laughs, her eyes crinkling at the corners.  
A whistle blows and the train begins to slow down.  
“We’re here! I better go back to my cabin to get my things, find me after though.” Avery shouts the end of her sentence, already in the corridor by then.  
“I’m so excited!” Lee practically bounces as she collects her things.  
Jaymee puts away his book and swings his bag over his shoulder.  
“So what house are you in Jaymee?” Marina asks, collecting her own bag.

“Ravenclaw.” He smiles as he puts his glasses in his pocket.  
“Nerd.” Lee not so subtly coughs into her fist, before looking over her shoulder at Jaymee playfully.  
He rolls his eyes but smiles anyway.  
Before she knew it, Marina was putting her bag in a pile with the others and following the crowd of first years. At the front of the group was a man named Hagrid. Perhaps man was the wrong word. Giant fit him better. 

 

“Lee! Look!” Mari tugged on Lee’s robe as the castle came out from behind the trees and into view.  
Lee stays silent for once, doing all the talking with her eyes, big and round and in absolute awe.  
The castle stood larger than life above the lake, black and silhouetted against the starry sky.


	2. Miscommunication

 Marina worried about the bewitched boats, hearing from her parents that one year, one capsized, nearly drowning a load of first years. Thankfully Marina stepped off the boat on the other side of the lake. She let out a breath she had been holding since the boat passed barely three inches from a large rock in the water. 

 

Marina spotter the familiar blonde curls from earlier amongst the crowd. “Avery!” Marina shouted.

Avery spins around and smiles at the pair. She weaves through the crowd and walks along side them. Avery presses her lips together in an excited grin, seeming to barely be able to hold in her excitement.

The first years are in the castle, through its high ceilinged halls, and told to wait outside of a grand doorway.

Quickly the whispers and conversations pick up. What house who was going to be in, rumours their older siblings had told them that they were sure were lies but “ _we’d better be careful anyway”_.

 

The grand doors open and the first years are washed with the glow of candlelight.

“Follow me please.” Professor Flitwick leads the amazed children through the great hall. Marina feels very aware of the many eyes on them. The other students all perched at their designated tables, watching as they make their way to the sorting hat.

 

“Ravenclaw!” 

Jason Billinurst climbs off the stool and towards the cheering crowd of proud Ravenclaws. By this point there were only had a dozen first years left, including Marina and her two friends.

“Leekha Srivas.” Flitwick’s voice rings out as Lee tenses up.

Marina smiles at her and she takes a deep breath. She sits on the stool and closes her eyes as Professor Flitwick levitates the hat on top of Lee’s head.

The hat muttered for a moment before springing up and calling out “Gryffindor!” 

Much louder and rowdier cheers let out from the Gryffindor table, and one noticeable cheer from the far end of the hall. Marina looks over her shoulder and sees Tanushri, standing on her chair and cheering for her sister. She sit’s under the Slytherin banner.

 

“Avery Cornell.” Avery’s name sings through the cheers, which die down quickly.

Avery walks with purpose to the stool, keeping her face straight and un-readable. The hat barely touches a hair on her head before it calls out “Slytherin!” Marina’s face drops, another Slytherin.

Avery beams the second the cheers erupt. She walks over to her house mates, shaking their hands and taking her seat.

 

Aldus Buckreary is called and placed in Hufflepuff, as well as Samuel Steely.

Finally, “Marina Higgleton.” Marina’s heart thumps a little harder in her chest as she walks to the stool. She looks up at the hat suspended in mid-air above the Professor, and swallows hard.

The hat gently lands on her head and her eyes flutter shut, as if that will help the decision. She’d heard rumours that you could ask the hat to be in a specific house, that if could take your concerns into account.

She chants the house in her mind. Whispers it under her breath, but alas;

 

“Gryffindor!”

 

Lee whoops and yells and the table cheers once again. Marina, although disappointed smiles, she gets to be with her friend. “It’s the right choice.” The hat mumbles as it floats away, and Marina wonders what it meant by that. Her smile grows wider as she approaches the table, happy faces and warm welcome ease Marinas nerves.

She takes a seat next to Lee and watches the last few sortings.

 

“Atttention Please.” A voice calls out across the hall, silencing each table as it reaches them. Headmistress Mcgonagall stand tall at a podium, now placed where the sorting hat just was.

The podium catches the light of the candles in its polished gold surface. An own serve’s as the headpiece, wings outstretched, ready to take flight.

“Welcome, to another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft And Wizardry. Now, before the feast, a reminder. The Forbidden Forest is out of bounds, unless accompanied by a teacher or prefect. And  strong warning, that un-sanctioned duelling between students, will result in the loss of house points. As well as a long stay in detention.” McGonagall’s eyes meet those of a students, sat at the Slytherin table. She glares at McGonagall.

 

“Pout all you like Miss Kenneth, it was you who ended up in the hospital wing.” A wave of short laughter washes over the crowd as Zali Kenneth sinks down in her seat.

 

“Well, with no further remarks, let the start of year feast, begin.” With a wave of her hand, all the empty trays and tiers, fill with mouth watering food.

Turkey, chicken, roast potato, corn, and enough desert pie to feed an elephant.

 

Marina could barely move after stuffing herself with so much food, yet here she was, following her head boy and girl to the Gryffindor dormitories. The head girl, who’s waist was thinner than a twig and almost as short as one too, spoke the password to the portrait hanging against a stone wall. Sunrise Sunset. She spoke very clearly and enunciated perfectly. The first years lined the eerie staircases, followed by the other students of the Gryffindor house. Marina, Lee and the other first years, look around in wonder at the portraits and moving staircases they had only heard tell about. It was far more magnificent that Marinas parents had lead her to believe. 

 

“Rotten things they are those pictures, cussing and insulting anyone who dare glance at them,” her father had spat, his tall ale glass half empty by then.

“Just rotten.”

Barely moments after the last student stepped onto the landing, the staircase swivels and meets another landing, where awaiting students step onto it care free.

“Welcome to Hogwarts!” Marina jumps as a voice booms from ahead. An elderly wizard sits in a comfy reading chair, waving at the passing children.

“Oh you will love it here!” He smiles and waves more, eliciting a smile from each of the passerby’s.

 

The common room amazed Lee, only having knowledge of the Slytherin rooms. She never imagined it could be so warm and inviting. Of course Lee and Marina were put in the same room, Tanushri had told her that the quill that writes out the room assignments knows who your friends are, and plans accordingly.

 

Warmth radiates from the candles spotted around the rooms and hallways, and an unfamiliar warmth pools in Marinas chest. Happiness. Pure, bright, true happiness. 

Yeah, she was going to like it here.

 


	3. A Year Well Done

Marina's first year was all she could have hoped for and more. Lee and her grew even closer, sharing everything, from sweets, to secrets, to even beds, during particularly bad thunderstorms, and homesick nights. They both loved their classes, particularly flying. Marina felt more free than a bird, the first time she hovered on her broomstick. Higher and higher, until the professor yelled at her, promptly causing Marina to slip off the end of her broom, landing rather painfully on the grass below her. Luckily, that didn't crush her passion. Lee was a much better flyer that Marina, she was certain that she was going to join the Gryffindor Quidditch team in their second year, become team captain third year, and leave school to join the professionals in fourth year.  
Marina just hoped to stay on her broom for longer than ten minutes.

Lee’s academic goals weren't set all that high, good thing too. At the rate she was going, she’d be the next groundskeeper at Hogwarts. She struggled with everything to do with wands. Using them, holding them, remembering where she’d dropped them. When she focussed properly and concentrated, she wasn't half bad, her mind was just always on the Quidditch pitch.

 

Marina tried her absolute hardest in every single lesson she attended. She did well, but not as well as what she wished she did. Potions seemed to be the only one she could master. A recipe she could follow, rations and measurements, she was set. She quickly became top in their potions class. Of course it didn't help her, less than popular image she already had going.  
A nerd who couldn't fly, was the general consensus. This didn't bother Marina in the slightest. She had good grades, great friends, she was very pleased.  
Of course the same couldn't be said for her parents when she came back home for Christmas break and told them she was a Gryffindor.  
They did try to be happy, try being the word. They were pleased however with the marks she was getting, not as good as them when they were in school mid you, but still not shameful.

Marina wrote to Lee and Avery every day. Telling them her parents had been researching if there had been anyone who had ever changed houses before. Lee wrote about her sisters constant talk of just how brilliant she was at school, and how perfect her boyfriend was, and how insane Lee’s Quidditch goals were.  
Avery didn’t speak much of herself, mostly asked if either of her friends needed her expertise in bad luck charms she had become so very good at.  
Words couldn’t describe how thrilled Marina was to arrive at platform nine and three quarters after the holidays. Marina craved to be back at Hogwarts, the place that made her happier than she had ever been before, and among the people whom she loved and loved her back.

Lee almost knocked Marina over as she practically rumoured into the other girls arms. The squealed like the schoolgirls they were and smiled and laughed, and made Avery join in too when they saw her.

Lee introduced Marina to her parents, her mother Ankita, and her father Ravi. They were perhaps the nicest people Marina had ever met in her whole life. Apart from Lee of course.  
They gave her a sweet bag, the same as Lee, and a hug before the train. They felt sad, since Marinas parents dropped her outside Kings Cross, then left for work.  
Unlike Lee’s, who both took the entire day off to make sure their children were happy and safe on their way to school.

 

The rest of there first year went by well, a few minor transgressions, here and there. A splash of colour changing tea here, a few choice words there, nothing too serious.  
One thing each first year could agree on, was that the end of year feast was going to be amazing.  
They sat in the great hall, robes pressed and flattened, hats extra pointy. 

They eagerly bounced their legs or fiddled with the silverware, as McGonagall gave an end of year speech. Once she finally finished she began the part everyone was waiting for.

“Now, to award the house cup. In fourth place, with 1029 points, Ravenclaw.” Everyone claps politely, while inside both Marina and Lee and telling them to suck it.

“In third place, with 1044 points, Slytherin.” They repeat the polite clapping and the silent suck it’s.  
“In second place, with 1049 points, Hufflepuff.” Everyone claps for Hufflepuff, leaving the Gryffindors gleaming with pride.

“And of course, in first place, with 1062 points, Gryffindor!” The Gryffindors erupt with cheers and whoops. Hats are thrown, food is thrown, a particular aerodynamic first year is thrown. They scream and clap, and the banners flutter and turn a magnificent orange. The bewitchment on the hall, recalls each hat to its over, the leg of ham to its platter, and the first year to his seat.

Marina turns to Lee, the two hug tightly, laughing and shaking with excitement.

Marina squeezes her eyes shut, trying to take in the moment best she can. Her first year at Hogwarts, her first house cup. Life couldn't be better than at that moment.


End file.
